Netflix to outbid HBO for major drama series

Video streaming giant shows the turning tides

A television adaptation of a British book could be set to shake up the small screen landscape, with suggestions that on demand giants Netflix could outbid traditional television networks to land the series.

With two massive names attached in director David Fincher and the genius that is Kevin Spacey as lead, House of Cards was always an attractive option, and it could be a video streaming service that outbids the likes of HBO and AMC to pick up the series.

House of Cards is a book by former Conservative party chairman Michael Dobbs and has already been developed into a critically acclaimed and rather lovely mini-series by the BBC starring Ian Richardson as Chief Whip Francis Urquhart and Susannah Harker as a journalist desperate to get to the truth.

Shockwaves

Should it happen, the fact that a streaming service can outbid traditional channels will send shockwaves through the television industry and serve as a reminder of just how powerful multi-platform streaming is.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Netflix put itself in the driving seat with a promise of a two season deal and a big budget to make the show.

Netflix currently has a whopping 61 per cent of the US video streaming market and is a familiar presence on everything from games consoles to Smart TV services.